Report: Cavaliers on Verge of Trading for Amare Stoudemire

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Feb 14, 2010

Report: Cavaliers on Verge of Trading for Amare Stoudemire Amare Stoudemire may be on the verge of joining the Cleveland Cavaliers via a trade from his Phoenix Suns, ESPN’s Chris Broussard reports.

The 27-year-old Stoudemire would reportedly join star LeBron James in Cleveland (43-11) in exchange for power forward J.J. Hickson and center Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Such a deal would give the Eastern Conference-leading Cavs a jolt as
the team heads down the stretch, hoping to land their first-ever NBA
title. The trade is up to Phoenix at this stage, as Cleveland is ready to pull the trigger.

Make no mistake about it: while Stoudemire will help the Cavaliers’ chances of winning the Finals, this deal is geared towards keeping James in town. Basketball is set up for a massive free agency class after this season, headlined by the face of basketball in “King James.” To have any hope of retaining the hometown star, Cleveland has to do what it can to set the team up for immediate success.

Stoudemire would represent such a player, who is also eligible for free agency after the year unless the power forward was to exercise a one-year, $17 million option. Broussard reports that the Cavaliers would seek to resign Stoudemire and feel the trade — which has been signed off on by James, according to the Cleveland Plain-Dealer — would all but ensure an extension for the King himself.

The Suns, currently projected as the seventh seed in the playoffs with a 31-22 record, would be motivated to do such a trade for two principal reasons: Stoudemire’s discontent in Phoenix over the last few years and the $12 million salary relief that big man Ilgauskas would bring the Suns.

In fact, the Suns’ only motivation to acquire “Z” would be for that salary cap relief. The team reportedly would release Ilgauskas immediately, allowing him to return to Cleveland after 30 days to continue backing up Shaquille O’Neal. Phoenix is also trying to force Cleveland — or any other team interested in acquiring Stoudemire — to assume the big-money contract of shooting guard Jason Richardson, according to the Morning Journal. Such cap relief would allow the club to be major players in the offseason free agent market.

While Hickson would represent a downgrade in talent for Phoenix, the youngster is thought to be a future All-Star and would give Phoenix a young power forward to build around.

Even if this trade falls apart, Cleveland will certainly make a move to prove to James that they’re serious about signing him long-term and contending in that window. The club has talked to Washington (who dealt away Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood Saturday) about trading for Antwan Jamison, to Indiana about Troy Murphy and to Golden State regarding Corey Maggette.   

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